Abstract
Montreal Process Criteria and Indicators (MPCI) were established to monitor forest conditions and trends to promote sustainable forest management. The Soil Indicator of forest health was developed and implemented within the USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program to assess condition and trends in forest soil quality in U.S. forests regardless of ownership. The Soil Indicator differs from intensive site monitoring programs in that it is a nationally applied, landscape-scale, grid-based design across all ecoregions,forest types, and land ownership categories. To date, the Soil Indicator has provided the only national assessment of soil erosion potential, areal extent of soil compaction,measured organic C stocks inventory, and soil physical and chemical properties of forest soils in the United States.
Parent Publication
Keywords
soil monitoring,
soil quality standards,
National Forests and Rangelands
Citation
Amacher, Michael C.; Perry, Charles H. 2010. The soil indicator of forest health in the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. In: Page-Dumroese, Deborah; Neary, Daniel; Trettin, Carl, tech. eds. Scientific background for soil monitoring on National Forests and Rangelands: workshop proceedings; April 29-30, 2008; Denver, CO. Proc. RMRS-P-59. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 83-108.
